The invention relates generally to a carrier for transporting bicycles by a vhielce and more particularly to a bicycle carrier mounted at the rear of the vehicle and supporting the bicycles in an upright position transversely of the vehicle.
Devices for carrying bicycles on vehicles are well known in the art. Most devices, including those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,442,961 and No. 4,524,893 support the bicycles atop of the vehicle in an upright position and oriented longitudinally of the transport vehicles. The bicycles in this position extend substantially above the top of the vehicle and are directly in the slipstream of air created by the moving vehicle thereby adding greatly to the air resistance that must be overcome to move the vehicle at normal driving speeds. The upright bicycles, moreover, must be removed from the carrier if the vehicle is to be driven into a residential garage, commercial parking garage, or other area having a restricted height entrance. Loading and unloading bicycles from such carriers is difficult, requiring that the bicycles be lifted above the top of the vehicle while being balanced upright.
Other prior art devices mount a fully assembled bicycle transversely at the rear of the vehicle. This reduces the air resistance of a transverse bicycle, but results in the outer end portions of the bicycle extending outside the transverse confines of most commercial passenger cars. Care must be taken with carriers of this type to prevent damage to the bicycle or vehicle from objects passing close to the vehicle. These carriers suffer also in that their capacity is typcially limited to one or two bicycles.